Matthew John Entz (born October 9, 1972) is an American

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

coach who is the head football coach at

California State University, Fresno California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...

(Fresno State), a position he has held since 2025. He also served as the head coach at

North Dakota State University North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. It was ...

from 2019 to 2023. Entz took over from the departing Chris Klieman after Klieman led the 2018 North Dakota State Bison football team to the program's seventh

NCAA Division I Football Championship The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was ca ...

in eight seasons. Entz was the

defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator (DC) is a coach responsible for a gridiron football team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's coaching structure, wit ...

for the Bison from 2014 until his promotion following the 2018 season. He was the

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

s coach and assistant head coach for defense at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

(USC) for the 2024 season.

Early life

A native of

Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 67,314, making it the List of cities in Iowa, eighth-most populous city in the st ...

, Entz attended

Wartburg College Wartburg College is a Private college, private Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Waverly, Iowa. History Wartburg College was founded in 1852 in Saginaw, Michig ...

, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1995 and a master's degree in education and exercise science from

Wayne State College Wayne State College (WSC) is a public college in Wayne, Nebraska. It is part of the Nebraska State College System and enrolls 4,202 students. The college opened as a public normal school in 1910 after the state purchased the private Nebraska Nor ...

in Wayne, Nebraska in 1998.

Coaching career

Early career

After graduating from Wayne State College, Entz began his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at

Illinois College Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was the second college founded in Illinois but the first to grant a degree (in ...

in 1998. He then joined

as their assistant head coach and linebackers coach in 1999.

Winona State

In 2002, Entz was hired as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at

Winona State University Winona State University is a public university in Winona, Minnesota, United States. It was founded as First State Normal School of Minnesota in 1858 and is the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It was the fi ...

under head coach Tom Sawyer.

Northern Iowa

In 2010, Entz was hired by the

University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 90 majors across five colleges. The fall 2024 total enrollment was 9,283 students. The university was initially founded in 1 ...

as their defensive line coach under head coach Chris Klieman. In 2012, Entz was promoted to defensive coordinator.

Western Illinois

In 2013, Entz was hired as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at

Western Illinois University Western Illinois University (WIU) is a public university in Macomb, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. As the normal school grew, it became Western Illinois State Teachers College. Once West ...

under head coach

Bob Nielson Bob Nielson (born September 28, 1959) is an American former college football coach. He served as the head football coach at Ripon College (Wisconsin), Ripon College (1989–1990), Wartburg College (1991–1995), the University of Wisconsin–Eau ...

North Dakota State

In 2014, Entz was hired as the defensive coordinator at

, reuniting with head coach Chris Klieman. He would hold this position for five seasons. In 2018, Entz was named as the 31st head coach at North Dakota State University, following Klieman's departure in to become head coach at

Kansas State University Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant coll ...

. During his five-season tenure as head coach at North Dakota State, Entz led the football program to the playoffs in all five years, ending in two national championships, a runner-up finish, along with a semifinal and quarterfinal appearances. His overall record was 60–11 with a 15–3 playoff record.

USC

On December 10, 2023, Entz was named assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach at the

(USC) under head coach Lincoln Riley. He remained at NDSU for the remainder of the 2023 playoff run which ended the next Saturday at

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

in the FCS semifinals.

Fresno State

On December 4, 2024, Entz was named the 23rd head coach at

(Fresno State).

Personal life

Entz and his wife, Brenda, have two sons: Kellen and Konner. Entz is a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

Head coaching record

References

External links

North Dakota State profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Entz, Matt 1972 births Living people Coaches of American football from Iowa Fresno State Bulldogs football coaches Illinois College Blueboys football coaches North Dakota State Bison football coaches Northern Iowa Panthers football coaches Players of American football from Waterloo, Iowa USC Trojans football coaches Wartburg College alumni Wartburg Knights football players Wayne State College alumni Wayne State Wildcats football coaches Western Illinois Leathernecks football coaches Winona State Warriors football coaches